How to Cook for Beginners: A Practical Guide For Aspiring Cooks
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Hey there! I'm Assaf, a regular dad who loves cooking but isn't a chef. I've learned a thing or two in the kitchen that has made cooking not only easier but a lot more fun. If you're a beginner and just want some basic, practical advice without the fancy techniques, this guide is for you. So let's get started, and remember, it's all about having fun and keeping it simple!
1. Start with a Few Simple Recipes
When you're just starting, don't go all out trying to make something like boeuf bourguignon. Stick to simple recipes that you enjoy and repeat them until you’re feeling confident. For me, it was spaghetti bolognese (recipe link) It's still my go-to dish to impress guests. These days, I'm confident enough to tweak the recipe (a little more garlic, less sugar, more onion). Start simple, and as you get more comfortable, you can start experimenting.
2. Make It a Habit
Like everything else, getting good at cooking requires practice. Make it a habit, whether it's making breakfast for the kids every weekend or dinner for a friend once a week. The more you cook, the better you'll get.
For me, it was taking over more of the weekly cooking for the family once we had kids and as part of trying to eat healthier.
3. Learn Basic Skills
I’m sure you’ve seen these recipe videos where the chef will chop vegetables like a machine. I can’t do it, my knife skills are very basic, but honestly, while it's cool, and will probably save time, for the beginner cook I personally feel like there are much more important things to learn first. Here are a few basic skills that will make your life a lot easier in the kitchen:
- How to cut an onion. So many recipes require onion, learn the most basic of techniques to dice and onion. Here is a video that not only made me laugh, but teaches a great way to do it.
- How to peel garlic. Like onion, garlic is a very common ingredient and peeling garlic can be annoying if you don’t know how. I personally use the “smash with a chef knife” technique but there are other ones that work. For mincing, I skip the knife and just use a mincer. (see below in tools).
- How to saute. Whether you need to caramelize onions or just get some veggies nice and ready for your dish, sauteing is an important technique to learn as it teaches you how different temperatures impact textures and flavor release. Here is a quick video demonstrating it.
These might seem simple, but mastering them can make a big difference in your cooking experience.
4. Clean as You Cook
Start with the good habit of cleaning the dishes as you cook. It will pay dividends when you make more complex dishes. Trust me, future you will thank present you. (And so will your significant other 🙂)
5. Essential Gadgets and Tools
There are a billion gadgets out there, but these are the ones I use the most: (Note that for some of the links to product pages, if you make a purchase I will get a commission at no cost to you).
- Stainless steel pots and pans: I recently bought some from Costco/Kirkland, but I used to have All-Clad. Honestly, I can't tell the difference. Don’t bother with non-stick unless you have the extra $$ to spend.
- Quality cutting board Plastic cutting boards literally chip plastic into your food as you cut… Invest in a good cutting board, ideally wooden. (I use the Sonder Los Angeles, Thick Sustainable Acacia Wood Cutting Board)
- Basic knife set and a sharpener: A sharp knife makes a world of difference, the good news is that you don’t need to buy a $200 japanese knife, a basic set like the ZWILLING HENCKELS Statement Razor-Sharp White Handle Knife Set (I use an older model of these) will be great if you match it with a good & easy sharpener like the HORL 2 Walnut Rolling Knife Sharpener
- A good peeler: This might be a me thing, but a bad peeler can be REALLY frustrating while a good peeler truly makes me smile. I’m a big fan of OXO and use their Good Grips Swivel Vegetable Peeler
- Garlic mincer: Because who has time to finely chop garlic? Again, I love OXO and use their Good Grips Stainless Steel Garlic Press
- Meat thermometer: Crucial for cooking meats to the right temperature. There are fancy wireless ones like Meater but honestly a basic digital one works just fine, I use the ThermoPro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer mainly because its washable under water
- Honorable mentions: An oil free-flow pourer for controlled oil pouring (I use this) and a good grater (again, can’t go wrong with OXO link)
6. Don't Be Afraid of Salt and Seasoning
It took me a while to stop being scared of adding salt to my food. Salt = taste. Don't go wild, but don't be afraid to season your food either. Gradually add more and taste as you go. While you’re at it, if you don’t own them already, go buy ground cinnamon, garlic powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, ground nutmeg, dried oregano, paprika, chili powder, onion powder and ground ginger. These are the top 10 most commonly used spices in recipes.
7. Be Okay with Messing Up
Sometimes things won't go as planned, and that's okay. It's all part of the learning process. For example, when I moved a few years ago, I had to retrain myself on all my recipes to get them right with my new stove.
If you never nearly caused a fire cooking, can you really say you’re a chef?
8. Have Fun!
Cooking should be fun. Do what you like, play some music, and pretend to be a master chef. I like to annoy my wife by pre-prepping all the ingredients in bowls like they do on cooking shows, which creates tons of dishes but makes me feel like a pro.
So there you have it! My basic guide to cooking from a regular self taught dad who likes to cook. Remember, keep it simple, have fun, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Happy cooking!
I hope you found this guide helpful! Feel free to share your own tips and tricks in the comments below. Happy cooking from Pynch Kitchen!
